This weekend is my last weekend posting until April 7th. :(
(Again, because of our spring break trip to Mexico.)
I promise to post pictures when I get back as well!
But, I'm going to try to delay a post so it sends out on the 27th of this month in order to complete the Daring Baker's challenge on the right day! So I was very busy making two batches of cupcakes and washing all of my dishes afterwards. In the middle of all the mess, I realized I was out of cupcake liners! Thanks to a quick stop at my nieghbors, I picked up some wonderful striped orange ones so I could continue with my baking. (Thanks Katie for giving them to me!)
This week, a great cupcake flavor came to mind while thinking of cupcakes, chocolate peanut butter cup. I chose a chocolate mousse frosting for the top, and a denser peanut butter cake. There is something about dense, flavorful cupcakes that I love. They bring more of a taste than light and airy ones, although any well made cupcake is simply amazing.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Makes 18

For the cake:

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cream to tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin. In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a big mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, shortening, and peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then vanilla. Stir in half of milk, and then half of flour mixture. Then repeat with the other remaining halves. Divide evenly in a muffin tin, filling to about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 19 to 23 minutes.

For the Frosting:

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Add everything into a bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.

(Really, it's that easy. And you will have a lot extra so you can serve it up in little dessert glasses as an amazing chocolate mousse.)